lawandorderfandomcom-20200223-history
Savages
Plot Following the shooting death of a detective, believes that capital punishment is warranted. Summary Detectives Lenny Briscoe and Rey Curtis investigate a man found shot to death in a warehouse full of what appear to be stolen goods. The dead man turns out to be an undercover police officer investigating a drug dealer. The investigation leads to Paul Sandig, a wealthy certified public accountant (Victor Garber). The detectives determine that Sandig murdered the officer in order to cover up a money laundering operation set up to conceal the profits of the drug dealer. Jack McCoy and Claire Kincaid argue the case for and against seeking the death penalty to district attorney Adam Schiff. As in reality, the fictional New York had just enacted a death penalty statute and Schiff must decide whether or not to pursue the first death penalty case in the state. Schiff determines that the death penalty is warranted and opts to pursue it. McCoy wins a guilty verdict, but must fight the constitutionality of the statute in the appellate division with defense attorney Helen Brolin (Maria Tucci) before sentencing. The constitutionality arguments center around due process and the meaning of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. The appellate division renders no decision, declaring the issue is not ripe because no one has yet been sentenced to death, and remands the case for sentencing. At sentencing, Sandig breaks down on the stand under questioning and begs for his life, but is nevertheless sentenced to death by lethal injection. Cast Main cast * Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe * Benjamin Bratt as Detective Rey Curtis * S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren * Sam Waterston as Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy * Jill Hennessy as A.D.A. Claire Kincaid * Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff Recurring cast * Maria Tucci as Defense Attorney Helen Brolin * Lynne Thigpen as Judge Ida Boucher * John Carter as Judge Harlan Newfield * Helmar Augustus Cooper as Judge Lawrence McNeil * George Bartenieff as Judge Shawn McNamara * David Rosenbaum as Judge Alan Berman * Victor Truro as Judge Douglas Spivak * Amy Hohn as Assistant M.E. Manning Guest cast * Barbara Garrick as Jenny Sandig * Gareth Williams as Edward "Ted" Quinlan * Victor Garber as Paul Michael Sandig * Leon B. Stevens as Judge Albert Parsons * Marianne Hagan as Marcie Donner * Adina Porter as Mary Byman * Joe Gonzalez as Sergeant Gilbert Gonzales * Angelica Page as Sarah Tabor * Ivan Kronenfeld as Marty Prince * Ron Nakahara as Gus Christen * Lydia Bruce as Judge Martha Kershan * Robert Montano as Rivera * Joe Bacino as Dominic Lundston * Michael Hirsch as Lyndon Whitney * Chris Ceraso as Allen DeLuca * Brian Connors as Newman * David Zayas as McGinty * George Hughes as Donavin * Lil Henderson as Jury Forewoman * John Rainer as Juror #2 * José Rabelo as Juror #3 * Hélène Cardona as Juror #4 * Jennifer Estess as Court Clerk * Brian Connors as Attorney / Cop (uncredited) References *France *Hell's Kitchen *George Pataki *''People v. Davis'' *Ellie Nesler *''Gregg v. Georgia'' Quotes :Quinlan: You want my testimony? You drop the laundering charges completely, and I get blanket immunity for anything that I say that might tend to incriminate me. :Kincaid: That's ridic- :McCoy: You got it. :Quinlan: his attorney You should be payin' me. :finds McCoy eating a sandwich outside the courthouse after Sandig is convicted of Croft's murder :Brolin: Tuna fish? Is that how you celebrate a victory? :McCoy: It's chicken salad. It's not over 'til after the sentencing hearing. Then it's tuna fish. :Brolin: Well, I wouldn't go planning my menu just yet. the EADA a notice My motion for a declaratory judgment with Judge Boucher's decision. :McCoy: Denying it. :Brolin: Yes. Well, and my appeal and my brief. McCoy her appeal and brief The way I see it, the New York death penalty statute doesn't even come close to passing constitutional muster. ---- :Sandig: I was so ashamed of what I did to that detective. Do you know why I kept the gun? I was gonna kill myself. :McCoy: So why didn't you? :Sandig: breaks Because I don't wanna die. I'm sorry, okay? Please... sobs I don't wanna die! Background information and notes *'Continuity error': Although Schiff determines whether or not to pursue the first death penalty case in the state, it is mentioned in a 2009 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ("Unstable") that Executive ADA Sonya Paxton was the "first to get a capital conviction when Pataki brought back the death penalty." * Goof: Victor Truro is credited as "Judge Douglas Spivack" but the nameplate shown lists his character's name as "Douglas Spivak". Episode scene cards Category:L&O episodes